Thursday, July 17, 2014

It’s not every day that a junkie rolls out of bed prepared to flaunt his addiction to anyone in sight, but MICK FLEETWOOD is someone who’s always more than happy to oblige. Between the time the sun rises above Haleakala and the stars come out over ‘Iao Valley, the British-born drummer known for his hyperactive ways and wild rock ‘n’ roll days is often found firing things up and inhaling that sweet Maui air. Even his dear old mum loves being a part of his fast-paced addiction. Fleetwood’s life, it seems, has always been about the roll.

Fleetwood at his home on Maui

Welcome to the highly addictive world of celebrities and their car collections. Strewn across a handful of his properties from Kula to Napili is Fleetwood’s impressive fleet of motorcars, which includes Model A Fords, Ferraris, twin-turbo Porsches and BMW 750s. Of the latter, he owns not just one but three of these gleaming models. “I’m a BMW freak!” he admits. Of course, these rides are not just for show-they’re for ‘go’ every day of the week. On Sundays, for example, Fleetwood can be found forcing his 6-foot, 6-inch frame into a 1933 Austin 7-a tiny perambulator of an old English car he’s owned since he was a young man wreaking

havoc on the streets of London-just so that he can take his 97-year-old mother, Biddy, on open-top rides and lunch dates in. It’s still his favorite automobile to this day, having earned the nickname “Lettuce Leaf ” for its racing green color.

“That car actually remained in England for years at the house of my ex-brother-in-law, Eric Clapton,” explains Fleetwood, who was once married to Jenny Boyd, the sister of Pattie Boyd who was once wife to first George Harrison and later Clapton. “One day about 10 years ago, Eric called me up and said, ‘Hey, Mick, you’ve still got your car here. What do you want me to do with it?’ And I said, ‘Oh, my god-it’s still there?!’ The poor car had been sitting in an apple orchard with birds nesting in it! So I had it shipped over to Hawai’i and refurbished.”

Whether talking about his very first vehicle, a taxi cab he purchased from a London neighbor for 12 pounds, his oil-leaking Jaguar XJ-120 that nearly killed him after the transmission fell out while he was bombing down a motorway in England, or a little Deux Chevaux that carried all his supplies during a brief period in his 20s when he seriously considered leaving music to become a window cleaner or painter, it’s clear that motorcars are an important part of Fleetwood’s makeup. It’s also a habit he doesn’t plan on kicking anytime soon. “I’ve had cars that I probably should have unloaded a long time ago, but I just can’t. That’s what car lovers do, you know? They’re addicted. But I suppose that’s an addiction I can be thankful for.”

Older and wiser (and quite fittingly looking more Gandalf-like) these days, Fleetwood passes much of his time in careful reflection as he approaches his 67th birthday. A good portion of his life has been spent in total abandon with well-documented substance abuse battles, but age and experience have tempered his conduct in recent years. He pours a lot of time into outside ventures, including the launch of his own wine line and his return to restaurant ownership with Fleetwood’s on Front Street in Lahaina. “I look at the restaurant as a long-term plan,” says Fleetwood, whose first foray into the food industry business did not go so well. “It’s a way that I can be really active as a person. I love being around people.” He loves it so much, that the restaurant hosts a Hawaiian blessing each night on its rooftop for employees and diners. “It’s not really a touristy thing because it’s really poetic and really heartfelt,” he says of the ceremony. “But it’s my way of saying the islands changed me years ago.”

The man with the infectious mouth-agape drumming style discovered Hawai’i in the mid-’70s, shortly after adding guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham and vocalist Stevie Nicks to a lineup that included John McVie and his then-wife, Christine, on bass and keyboards/ vocals, respectively. That incarnation of Fleetwood Mac (the first was formed in 1967 with blues-rock guitarist Peter Green, who abhorred the spotlight and chose to name the band after its rhythm section of fellow group founder Fleetwood and McVie) went on to produce one of the biggest-selling albums of all time in Rumours. It’s also the lineup that recently reunited following Christine McVie’s decision to rejoin the band after a 16-year absence from the business.

“We’re thrilled to be a reformed five-piece band,” says Fleetwood of the group, which will be embarking on a world tour this fall. “With Christine’s decision to return, it’s like having the final piece of our crazy puzzle put back together again.”

As for Hawai’i, it’s become more than just a place for Fleetwood to, as he says, “come and lick my wounds.” He still resides in the same home in Napili that he bought from John McVie years ago, and doesn’t plan on changing full-time residency any time soon.

“Life is good,” he says. “When things appear to be a little down, we in Hawai’i have a lot to be grateful for. We’re blessed to be living in one of the most beautiful places on this planet.”

10 comments:

The "Hawaii" entries on this website usually generate zero responses. I'd like to give a big hana hou to the last paragraph of this entry. Mick is so right. I moved here in 1979 and saw the Tusk tour at the Blaisdell Arena. A love affair was born for me with The Mac and this beautiful place on this planet. I've never abandoned either one... still live here at age 52 and still love The Mac more than ever.

he should be grateful for his fans with this band and not take them to the cleaners just because chris is back and charge these ridiculous prices for the dye hard core of fans like 750 meet and greet and 600.00 to 800.00 for the best seats in the house. per tickets that not being grateful to your fans who have supported these band for 40 yrs. I love this band but that's taking us to the cleaners so I have lost resect for him for this. and blame him because the rest of the band is not part of this scam. its his meet and greet not the whole band.

Your still living in the 70's were concert prices were low, Mick is very grateful for his fans, Your big name bands are going too cost more these days, Don't blame Mick for high cost tickets, I guess in your mind Mick is to blame for the high cost of gas too, If you don't like him that's your problem.

Fleetwood Mac tickets are expensive, for sure. I'm not trying to say I agree with the prices, but concerts are how this band continues to make money. Album sales and radio play are not what they used to be for older artists, even Madonna doesn't get the radio play she used to. It seems like most artists over the age of 50 are relegated to radio stations that classify as "Adult Alternative" or "Adult Contemporary." Fleetwood Mac is a rock band, yes, but at the end of the day like any other band it's also a business that supports not only its core members but dozens of others. The band has to make money. Mick Fleetwood is not forcing anyone to pay for his meet and greet tickets; if someone chooses to spend their hard-earned money on said tickets why criticize?

well last year meet and greet was 425 and seats by the stage were going for about 275 but with Christine back in the fold they have doubled and lots of bands have fan club set ups for there big fans. So yes these prices are way too much its not right. only the rich can afford these prices. Not your blue collar fans who have been big fans for years. It these ceo's who are not even big fans and go by drinks and come and go during the show to buy more drinks and don't care about the show/

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Christine was a guest on the Ken Bruce radio program on BBC Radio 2 and was featured each morning between Oct 7th and 11th choosing the "Tracks of My Years". Each day included a short interview clip with Christine along with her track choice and why. During the last day Christine revealed that she's currently working on new material and hopefully a forthcoming solo album saying its a return to her musical sound of the 70's.